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| Bangladesh |
| JMB still able to stage attacks |
| 2010-05-28 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, the banned Islamist outfit believed to have weakened in recent years, still has around 400 full-time cadres across the country, and a military wing capable of launching spectacular attacks. It has huge explosives, handmade bombs and grenades stashed at different dens. The recently detained JMB chief, Saidur Rahman, made these claims during questioning yesterday, said an interrogator who would not be identified talking about the matter. On a six-day remand, Saidur also spoke of a split within the JMB ranks. He said one group wants to stage attacks and continue recruitment simultaneously, while the other wants to reorganise the outfit first and then go for attacks. Talking to The Daily Star, the interrogator said, "Saidur's claims about the explosives and bomb-making expertise have got us quite worried." Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque said, "We are verifying the information gleaned during interrogation. We are trying to uncover the sources of their finances and also their political and regional links." Assistant Commissioner Sanwar Hossain, an explosives expert of the detective branch, said explosives, bombs, architectural designs and the other materials seized from the JMB dens recently suggest the outfit still has a "very high level of bomb-making expertise". During interrogation, Saidur claimed he stays the chief of JMB. The charter of their outfit has no restrictions on being at the helm while in detention, said a member of the combined cell formed to quiz the JMB operatives captured last week and also to net those at large. Apart from fake currency trade, JMB gets funds from several sources at home and abroad, the militant boss told the interrogators. JMB cadres are directed to avoid using cell phones, as doing so would mean running the risk of being tracked. Fresh from last week's successes, the law enforcers are now on a hunt for JMB leader Bhagina Shahid and those who slipped through the dragnet during Sunday's raid on a house at Dania. JMB's military wing commander Shiblu was captured during the raid that left eight cops hurt in an attack by the fleeing militants. Those who escaped arrest Sunday are Shiblu's wife and military wing sub-commander Kawsar alias Milon and his wife. Following up the information obtained from Shiblu, police arrested JMB chief Saidur, his third wife Naima Akhter, the outfit's military coordinator Amir Hossain alias Sharif and ehsar (full-time) members Nur Hossain alias Sabuj and Abdullah Hel Kafi in the capital and Narayanganj on Monday and Tuesday. |
| Posted by:Fred |